Snow and Sakura
by Gritten-Tells
Summary: When Renji and Ichigo have gone ahead to the Gaton Den, what happen to Rukia and Byakuya who are still floating around in the hot springs? This is my perspective of what i imagined when they have awoke in the Kirin Palace. slightly AU, T rated to be safe! Byaruki. please R&R.
1. The Kirin Palace part 1

**My first ever fanfic published, after thinking for so long... since there is no update on what are rukia and byakuya yet, so i decided to create one story about them. Bleach characters belongs to Tite Kubo, the story plot is owned by me. i hope you'd enjoy it. :D**

Kirin Palace

She was floating. Swirling around in the dark. She couldn't see. She tried lifting her wet eyelids but for some reason, they were glued shut. She tried making an effort to open them. Her eyebrows twitched and her mind started reasoning, pulling itself out of the murky depths.

_Arrghh… It's so hot. Where am I_? _It feels like I've been sleeping in a sauna. _Then she sensed something wrong, she couldn't feel anything covering her small body. Her mind was suddenly much clearer. _Wait, am I…_

She snapped her eyes open, on full alert- only to cringe and hide her violet eyes to shield from hot mist and sudden invasion of white light that filled her vision. She blinked a few times, moving her head a bit, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Her eyelids fluttered for a minute before they slowly reopened again.

_Rocks._ Her mind registered. _Water. Mists?_ An involuntary gasp escaped from her lips. She's lying around naked in the middle of the hot springs! Isn't she supposed to be lying at the fourth division's barracks? How did she end up here? More importantly, _why isn't she wearing her shihakusho?_

She wanted to move, but found herself restrained, as if she was held back by something. She tried to remove the vine- or so she thought- coiled around her mid-section, but she could not. And it's not a vine that was wrapped around her- it was a hand.

She heard someone behind her grunt. A familiar voice commanded her, causing her to widen her eyes in disbelief. "Stop moving, Rukia."

Automatically, she froze. _That voice_. She thought. _It belongs to _him_, isn't it? But-_ A surge of memories raced through her head. She remembered the lone sakura petal she saw when she was fighting, when she was engaged in a battle against Seireitei's greatest enemy- a Quincy. She remembered when she felt his reiatsu disappearing. 'Nii-sama was in danger.' But she didn't manage to go to him. Nii-sama. When she was drifting in and out of consciousness in a medical room in the fourth division, next to Renji, she heard rumours- Nii-sama isn't going to survive after the attack. She didn't even know how badly he was hurt; she didn't even know Nii-sama would be defeated. He, the mighty Kuchiki Byakuya, her brother, one of the most powerful shinigamis and captains in Seireiti, was defeated, and in critical condition.

The last thought she had in her mind, before she'd lost consciousness, she cried. _No… Nii-sama can't die_.

…. Is it really him, Nii-sama? She really wanted to ask. She really wanted to know- that the voice she heard is not a hallucination or a dream. Nii-sama is real, he _is_ alive.

And there's one way to find out. She turned her head around.

**hm... i think i will upload another chapter... please read and review, thank you!**


	2. The Kirin Palace part 2

**Hi, Gritten-Tells here! First of all, I would like to apologise for delaying the continuation of the story. There was something wrong with my thumbdrive, and all my files- including my school work from last year- disappeared and so did my draft story. I had to rewrite the story again before posting it online. Also I am busy with school, preparing for upcoming tests and presentations.**

**Second of all, I would like to thank the reviewers, followers and the readers who faved this story. I uploaded the first chapter at night and the next morning I saw the comments and everything. It really brings a smile to my face whenever I see it. (thanks a lot, you guys :D ) Also, I think many of you have read Bleach chapter 545…. Look who've returned…. *squeal!* I read it too, I see that it was slightly different from my story plot, which I would keep updating it anyway. So my story plot would be slightly AU, and readers, please take note of some changes. The story title will be changed from **The Kirin Palace **to **Snow andSakura** (*hides in one corner* I'm sorry, I'm not good at brainstorming titles in the beginning whenever I started on a new story). The first chapter of **Snow and Sakura** will be **The Kirin Palace Part 1**. **

**Here is some quick replies to the reviewers:**

**-**Aii Sakurai: **Hi, thank you for reviewing my story. And no, I'm sorry. Byakuya's and Rukia's relationship would not progress any further other than being adopted brother and sister/siblings/in-laws. (readers, please take note). This would not be a M-rated story either. **

**-** corvusraven: **hi, thank you for reviewing. I'll try to make the chapter longer, i'll see how the story goes, and i hope the second chapter would be long enough for you to read ^^**

**-**Phantom Claire, Red Cr0w , sphinx (Guest), andyantopia, Pamila De Castro, and Aqua Master: **thank you for commenting on the first chapter and i look forward to see your next reviews X)**

**Bleach characters belongs to Tite Kubo, story plot is owned by me. I hope you'd enjoy reading the second chapter of **Snow and Sakura**. :D**

The first thing she saw when she turned around is his hair. Nii-sama's hair was black like her own, Rukia always admired how he kept his hair soft and silky. He used to put on his kenseikan as a symbol of his nobility and as the head of the Four Noble Houses. After Ichigo lost his powers after defeating Aizen eighteen months ago*, Nii-sama shed his kenseikan and windflower scarf. He trimmed his hair a little (she suspected it was around the same time she cut some of hers as well) and put three intricate hairpieces at the back of his hair, and donned on his new haori- he made a few slight alterations to it, the late Captain General didn't complain. His new image made him look younger (and MORE handsome), it made the shinigami women more rabid. Rangiku-san keep pestering her on every Shinigami's Women Association (SWA) meetings about Nii-sama's new look. Now his hair is wet and glistening from the hot springs spa (this was what Rukia thought of their purpose in the hot springs), sticking to his face and neck.

Rukia swept her eyes down to his bandaged forehead and a gauze on the right side of his eye. 'Poor Nii-sama...' She thought sympathetically. His eyes were still closed; when Rukia started to live with Nii-sama, she'd always notice that his slate gray eyes are stone-cold, emotionless, whenever she looked at them. Nii-sama and the rest of the Kuchiki household seemed so cold to her during the first fifty years she was adopted and became a Kuchiki. It was only until Ichigo rescued her... and Nii-sama saved her from being impaled by Ichimaru Gin's Shinso and confessed his reason for adopting her, Rukia realised she was wrong about Nii-sama. Nii-sama's not cold, he was lonely, grieving for the loss of his wife- her biological sister, the Lady Hisana- and he still _is_. After that incident Nii-sama never looked at her so coldly anymore, they even talked more during mealtimes in the mansion, sometimes it was Nii-sama who initiated a conversation.

Rukia's gaze moved further down. At his glistening skin- Nii-sama had a very fair and flawless skin, and handsome features- she hoped his injuries wouldn't leave him any scars. She glanced down to his neck, his Adam's apple, then his chest...

Rukia stopped herself right there, and mentally slapped herself. 'Oh, god. Am I really that close to him?' Her cheeks started to redden furiously. She started to push against his chest, but realised she would have to plant her hands onto his naked chest.

She turned back to the front and tried to remove his hand and fingers around her waist again. She struggled to get out of Byakuya's grip. Although he hadn't fully restored his strength, his grip is very strong. He held onto her tighter, his eyebrows furrowed when he sensed Rukia resisting.

"Stop moving, Rukia." He rasped, he sounded much better than he had previously, when he begged Kurosaki Ichigo to save Soul Society. "Let me hold onto you a while longer, _please_."

She stopped trashing about, she froze when she heard how broken, and desperate, he sounded when he'd spoken his last word. Nii-sama sounded much worse than he had before when he was wounded by Ichimaru's Shinso. She complied to his order, she'd never disobey Nii-sama's orders, though this might be a little inappropriate. She distanced herself as much as she could, and refrained from touching Nii-sama's skin. Rukia could feel him breathing behind her, slightly laboured; she had a lot of questions to ask but she daren't disturb him. But staying quiet isn't going to make her feel at ease, so...

"Nii-sama." She said softly, half-expecting for him not to answer.

"... What is it, Rukia?"

She gulped nervously. "What are we doing here? Are we still in Soul Society?"

"We're in the healing springs, Rukia. If you've noticed, some of our injuries are healed here. And no, I don't think we're in Soul Society anymore." Byakuya inhaled a few times before he continued, "The spirit particles here are denser, more concentrated than Soul Society was. I met a man who calls himself Tenjiro Kirinji, he told me we are in his domain, the Kirin Palace. He is one of the zero division Shinigamis."

Rukia's eyes widened. She heard that before. "Zero division... That means we are-"

"Somewhere close to the King's Palace, yes." He started rasping. "He explained to me that each zero division Shinigami officer has a domain of his or her own, an orbiting circular platform that surrounds the King's Palace." He explained briefly, and couldn't elaborate any further. That was what he could recall before he slipped into unconsciousness again. He changed the subject.

"I heard that Kurosaki Ichigo and Abarai Renji were here as well." Byakuya figured she'd want to hear what happened to her beloved nakama as well. "They've healed, and went to the other domains."

"I see, Nii-sama." Rukia said hastily. Nii-sama is not well and she thought she'd better not disturb him, or delay his recovery. "Thank you for clarifying these matters to me."

Rukia felt him nod his head once, and said nothing more. The two of them fell into tranquil silence, Rukia decided to take a nap, she felt drowsy with all these heat, the sound of splashing water and the bamboo hitting constantly against the rocks was lulling her into sleep. Her eyes were about to shut when Byakuya spoke to her again.

"How are your wounds?" He wanted to know.

"Huh?" She blinked confusedly, then she remembered she used to have a simple window dressing over her right eye- was it? She touched both eyes tentatively, to make sure, and her head. Her bandages are removed, and she felt no pain at all. "O-oh. I think I'm healed, Nii-sama. There's no need for you to worry. On the contrary, Nii-sama, I think you should get some rest instead."

Byakuya breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. 'Good, she'd made a full recovery.' He thought. He'd removed her bandages while she was still sleeping, as he did on the ones on his chest and waist below. He'd wrapped a towel Tenjiro Kirinji had offered him to conceal his nakedness, and he promised that he will get some towel for her as well, but he had not returned yet. He furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance. How long does he want to keep Rukia floating around in his hot springs without any piece of clothing on? Byakuya had waded to her, and carefully turned her over- he was thankful of the mist that suddenly grew thick and obstructed his view of her feminine parts momentarily and found her breathing- he slowly swam back to a corner of the springs with his arm wrapped securely around her waist and waited there. He dipped them lower into the springs, keeping her head up above the water.

Rukia is safe, in his arms. 'Alive, and breathing.' He silently told himself. Byakuya was afraid for her safety, he grew even more protective when he was engaged with that damned Quincy and suddenly had the image of dead Rukia, her bones showing and an eyeball dangling out of her sockets. He shuddered at that thought again, he'd never want to see her like that. His sweet sister, beautiful Rukia...

"Nii-sama!" The said girl interrupted his train of thought. "You're shivering!" She didn't think that it would be impossible for him to feel cold since they are bathing in the hot springs. She started disengaging from his hold again. 'No, please, don't.' It also made his heart and pride swell when he thought how much Rukia cared for him, though he would not voice it openly to anyone, not even to her. "I think it would be better if I-"

"_No_." He interjected stubbornly, not wanting her to leave him. He doesn't want her to leave his side as it'll make him feel uneasy. He did not tell her the reason either. "Just stay, Rukia." He decided to tell her that simply, at least this is what he wanted her to do. "I'd appreciate that much if you could wait until Tenjiro Kirinji fetches your towel, and informs us what to do next."

He felt satisfied when Rukia stopped trying to slip out of his hold again and nodded obediently. She always listens to him. 'Good girl.'

"Alright, Nii-sama." She said softly, tired and feeling drowsy again. And so did he. She turned her head a bit to look at him in the eye, Rukia always does that whenever she wanted to mean something seriously. "Please get some rest. I'll wake you when the zero division officer comes, then..."

*I don't know how long after Ichigo had brought Ginjo's body back to Kurakara Town/ the real world and when the Quincies started to show up. So I take it as one month has past and the Quincies started to create trouble.

**Alright, there's a wrap for chapter two. I'll try to write more and update as quickly as I can for everyone to read. Please forgive me for any spelling/ grammatical errors. As usual, reviews and comments are much appreciated. Stay tuned for chapter 3- hint: Byakuya and Rukia will be going on to the Gaton Den next chapter! XD**


	3. Trip to Gaton Den

**Hello again everyone :D . It's been a while since I last updated. I tried to write using whatever spare time I had, and that was usually in school or when I'm taking the bus home when the inspiration comes in. :D I would like to thank **Red Cr0w, Pamila De Castro, Aqua Master, **and** nhokjoon **for reviewing chapter 2 of **Snow and Sakura**. I really appreciate the feedbacks. Here's some quick replies to the reviewers:**

**-**Aqua Master: **thank you for providing me the constructive feedback that I needed (and I really appreciate it) and for looking forward to the next update :) **

**- **Pamila De Castro, Red Cr0w **and **nhokjoon**: thank you for reviewing chapter 2! I think I may have not done a good job writing it, but i'm happy that you still enjoyed it :D**

**I hope you would enjoy the 3****rd**** chapter of **Snow and Sakura**. Bleach characters belong to Tite Kubo, I just own the story plot. Bleach characters may tend to get a little OOC. Please read and review!**

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"You could leave when you want to, you know?"

Rukia turned her head back, now fully dressed in her shihakusho. She was adjusting the V-line of her kimono when she heard Tenjirou Kirinji slid the shoji door open and spoke behind her.

"H-hai." She responded, bowing to him respectfully. He was a high-ranking officer, a zero guard shinigami who healed them- her, Nii-sama, Renji and Ichigo. He also extended his generosity by returning her shihakusho and allowing her to change into it in an empty room for a few minutes in peace. "You did tell me earlier." She replied.

Kirinji crossed his arms over his broad chest, frowning. "If you'd gone ahead, you could have caught up with that- what's-his-name?- Renji, or even Ichigo."

Rukia smiled nostalgically, hearing their names. "I know."

"Then why didn't you?"

Rukia hesitated, unwilling to what has been weighing heavily in her heart. Seeing her wounds are all healed and fully closed, Kirinji-san had recommended her to catch up with Renji and Ichigo, but she was reluctant to leave. It felt wrong, leaving Nii-sama behind.

"I want to stay with Nii-sama, I wanted to wait until he recovers." She replied softly. Rukia was so close to losing him, he was so close to dying, and she desperately wanted to protect him, and those who are precious to her. Rukia can't help but feel that familiar mixture of anger and helplessness boiling inside of her.

She subconsciously clenched her tiny fists, shaking it. She was angry- not only at the the Quincies who've hurt Nii-sama, Renji, Ichigo and terrorized Soul Society but also herself. She was still not powerful enough to protect her loved ones. She thought back to her battle with Riruka, the human Fullbringer, who managed to defeated her by catching her off guard... twice. And letting her use her, like the traitor Aizen Sosuke, the Bount Yoshi and the 7th Espada Zommari Rureaux did- though she did it in order to protect Ichigo as well- it made her feel ashamed, foolish at being so easily manipulated like that. It seriously wounded her pride as a Shinigami warrior and as a member of the Kuchiki clan. Rukia felt like pulling her hair out in frustration. Why, no matter how hard and secretly she'd trained, is she still so much weaker and still needed her nakama to protect her? Why hasn't she improved in her skills and gotten stronger?

"Alright, then." Kirinji said as he turned away, pretending not to see her shaking fists. "Suit yourself. Byakuya will be ready in another six hours, then the both of you would move on to the next domain." He went outside, closing the shoji door behind him and leaving Rukia to her thoughts once more.

"So how d'you feel?" Kirinji asked when Byakuya stepped out of his healing springs, holding the towel securely around his waist. Kirinji leaned against a wall when he asked him. "You've just broke the record of taking the longest bath than anybody I know."

Kirinji raised a thick eyebrow at him. "Still feeling dizzy?"

"Dizzy?" Byakuya said, having a faraway look on his face. "That is absurd. I still lacked the strength to feel dizzy. Once I've regained my strength and stamina, that will be the time when I would feel dizzy again."

"Nii-sama." Byakuya broke out of his reverie when he heard his sister addressed him. Her eyes gleamed in pure admiration as she was looking at him, her skin has that glow and that… sparkly atmosphere around her. He saw that look once when they were spending their holiday on the beach in the human world. They were showcasing their artistic talents by building sand sculptures by the seaside. Byakuya had briefly looked at her work at the corner of his eye. Her work- Chappy, he recalled the name of the bunny she love so much- wasn't half-bad at all, though it needed a bit of smoothing around the lumpy body of the animal.

Rukia tried to keep her eyes on his face when she looked at him, blushing scarlet. "I'm glad you're well and up on your feet again." She told him earnestly. He nodded, fighting a smile that was about to form on his lips. Yes, he was glad Rukia was well too, but something wasn't quite right about her. There was a hint of sadness reflecting in her brilliant violet eyes, and Byakuya wanted to know why. Perhaps he'd ask her when they're alone.

"Alright, then." Kirinji said, and beckoned for them to follow him. "Let's us retrieve your clothes, then transport you two to the next stop."

'What kind of transportation is this?!' Rukia tried to keep herself from screaming as she and Byakuya were falling. She was expecting some sort of portal, a Garganta or Dangai, as their means of transportation. She didn't expect she and Nii-sama standing on some sort of platform and seeing Kirinji-dono holding a gigantic wooden hammer behind his back.

And she had the gall to point and asked why he was carrying that around.

"You'll see in a minute." He replied with a sly grin on his face. Then he lifted that thing up, and threw it down. "Here we go!"

Byakuya silently cursed at the officer who'd placed them into this…. undesired predicament. He was starting to get suspicious of the object he carried. Luckily he had the foresight to grab Rukia's waist and pulled her flushed against him before Tenjiro Kirinjo sent them soaring through the air. Rukia gripped the front of his shihakusho, causing his gaze to soften.

He noticed they are getting nearer to a floating disc in the sky. Another zero guard officer's domain…. And they are falling right on top of it. He panicked, though his impassive face remained the same. Due to the speed that they were falling, Byakuya could not use shunpo and land them down properly on their feet. He could not think of a spell either. He glanced at his sister again, who emitted a small scream as she shut her eyes and squeezed them tightly.

'In this case, then I'll...' Byakuya shifted their positions in the air until his back was facing the ground. He used his hands to wrap securely on Rukia's head and back. He closed his eyes as well, praying Rukia will be safe and would not be saddened if he'd gotten himself injured again, and waited for the inevitable impact….

He snapped his eyes open, betraying a look of surprise on his face (Rukia still closed her eyes and did not get the opportunity to see it) when his back hit against something soft and fluffy. 'A cushion.' He inspected as he turned his head to a side. 'How -'

"My, my." He heard a voice and looked to see who it is- he saw a jolly and plump woman with purple hair, donned in Shinigami robes and fanning herself as she spoke. "Isn't that dangerous? Good thing I got that placed on the spot where Renji-Chan and Ichigo-Chan had landed ages ago. I figured that my next guests-of-honour would need them."

"Thank you." Byakuya said, speaking from the bottom of his heart as he carefully put him and Rukia down on their feet. So this woman had experience of people falling onto her territory, and she has the kind consideration of cushioning their fall. He glanced at Rukia anxiously, still clutching on his robes and slowly regaining her composure. She was slightly shaken, but otherwise doing quite fine. She wasn't hurt, and that mattered a lot to him.

She glanced up at him. "Nii-sama." He nodded.

"Welcome to my Gaton Den, Kuchiki Byakuya and Kuchiki Rukia." The jolly woman welcomed them warmly. "My name is Hikifune Kirio, and I would be your host until you travel to the next palace."

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**Okay, I decided to stop here and stop delaying my update. I was thinking of writing more, but I think I'll settle that for the next chapter. I had to go back and read the manga, and tried not to copy most of the conversation between Byakuya and Kirinji in chapter 545 and imagining their travel to the Gaton Den… **

**I'll update soon. Stay tuned for the next chapter! :D**


	4. Feast

**Hello everyone, I'm back! And sorry for the delay of this chapter. I was busy with my school assignments. Special thanks to**andyantopia, Pamila De Castro, Guest, **and the readers who faved, followed, and added **Snow and Sakura** to their story alert subscription. **

**In the meantime, please enjoy chapter 4 of **Snow and Sakura**. Bleach characters belongs to Tite Kubo, I only own the story plot. Bleach characters may tend to get a little OOC. Please forgive me if I made any grammatical errors.**

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Rukia hugged her stomach tightly, trying to stop it from making more loud and embarrassing growling noises in front of Nii-sama. 'Shut up! Shut up! Nii-sama is sitting right beside me!' But it- _she_ couldn't help it. She was hungry. Hearing Hikifune-dono speed-preparing or cooking their dishes- having to hear the chopping of the butcher's knife; the fragrant smell of the food and spices; and Hikifune-dono mumbling loudly to herself- intensified her hunger.

'When was the last time I've eaten?' She wondered. Rukia thought back to she and Nii-sama's last meal in the Kuchiki Household. It felt so long ago. They ate breakfast, then they proceeded to their divisions and at noon, the Quincies unexpectedly dropped in… The persistent growling of her stomach pulled her back into reality. She pressed her stomach harder. 'Nii-sama never heard my stomach cry out like that.' She thought, her face matching the colour of Renji's hair.

She peeked, looking sideways at him. 'Nii-sama had never complained about my stomach once, but he must be getting tired of it, isn't he?' Byakuya had not moved or fidgeted once after he sat down. He kept his posture straight and upright in a dignified manner with his eyes closed. Rukia couldn't help but smile and admire him. 'Even if Nii-sama is defeated, he picked himself up straightaway and regain his pride and dignity.' Rukia felt envious of him, after all, Nii-sama had nothing to fear or be afraid of losing anything. Seeing him breathe in and out evenly, (the healing springs really did miracles for him) relaxed and enjoying the tranquil silence (save for the noises Hikifune-dono kept making in her kitchen), she wondered if he was sleeping.

Sensing a pair of watchful eyes on him, Byakuya opened his grey slate eyes and flickered them onto Rukia. She gasped audibly, having caught red-handed, she looked away and focused on her lap instead. She flushed, gripping the fabric of her hakama nervously.

Byakuya studied her petite figure silently, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. He propped an elbow on the dining table and resting his right cheek against his fist. A few strands of his hair fall over his left eye, casting a shadow over them.

'Oh, no.' She thought, she continued looking down on her lap. 'Is he mad because I woke him from his nap?' Taking a deep breath, she turned to him. "Nii-sama, I'm sorry for-"

"Rukia." Byakuya said her name smoothly. "There is no need to feel ashamed of being caught staring (at me). As long as you're the one looking, it's fine."

It was true, if it was Rukia, he wouldn't mind her looking at him. After all, they are family- adopted siblings/ in-laws. He wanted her to be comfortable around him as he was around her. But if it was other women staring at him like that, he would either drive them away with a death-glare or- if they were quite persistent and they wouldn't leave him alone- he'd call forth Senbonzakura. The reminder of his broken blade sent a painful ache on his chest. He pressed a hand over his heart, silently wincing.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia immediately shifted closer to him, her hands hovered on his hand and shoulder, hesitant but they longed to touch him, soothe him. "Are you hurt again?" She panicked, and started to leave her seat. "I better go and ask for-"

"No!" He latched a hand onto her wrist, stopping her from leaving him. This action surprised her, but it didn't make her go back to her seat as he intended her to do so.

"The pain is nothing." He assured her. "I was just reminded that… Senbonzkura is no longer by my side."

"Nii-sama…" The expression on Rukia's face turned sorrowful and remorse. Yes, she had heard about it. Nii-sama's blade is broken, shattered into tiny, broken pieces that can never be forged back together again. _A Shinigami with a broken blade is as good as dead_. Rukia knew exactly how it feels, to lose a comrade that was closest to you and a part of yourself. During the Zanpakuto Rebellion when a materialized Senbonzakura dropped her broken Sode no Shirayuki in front of her, Rukia couldn't feel her reiatsu from the two halves of the sword, and she had thought that she was really gone. Fortunately for her, Captain Mayuri had found a way to revive Sode no Shirayuki so that they could reunite once again. And sadly for Nii-sama, Senbonzakura cannot be revived, or appear in his inner world ever again.

"My deepest apologies, Nii-sama." Rukia said softly, lowering her head. "About Senbonzakura. I understand if you don't want to talk about him, but-" She raised her head and looked at him fiercely, compassionately. "I know how it feels like, losing a part of yourself. But know this, Nii-sama, you're not alone. I'm always here. I'll always stay by your side."

Byakuya's facial expression remained impassive, but he was touched by her words, and her compassion. She'd stay by his side? Always? She would never leave him?

"Byakuya-san! Rukia-chan!" At the moment Hikifune-dono emerged from her kitchen. Rukia hastily returned back to her seat, next to Byakuya while Hikifune-dono approached with a tray full of food. "The meals are ready! Here you go!"

Rukia's mouth dropped open into an 'O' when she stared ahead. As usual, Byakuya made no reaction.

"Please, Byakuya-san and Rukia-chan, dig in!" Hikifune-dono told them in a sing-song voice, and turned away. "While you're eating, I'll make you some dessert."

When she left, Rukia continued staring at the variety of food in front of her. 'Did Hikifune-dono made a mistake? This is enough food to throw a buffet! How does she expect us to be able to consume all of this?'

"Let's proceed, Rukia." Byakuya picked up a pair of chopsticks, and reached for a bowl of rice. "Itadakimasu."

"But Nii-sama, is this alright?" Rukia asked worriedly. "It's too much… I don't know if…."

"We're her guests, Rukia." Byakuya answered her easily. He looked at her, holding his chopsticks in mid-air. He was about to reach for a drumstick. "She's showing us her hospitality. And if you've forgotten, your stomach was growling. Don't starve yourself. Dig in."

Rukia slowly nodded, comprehending his words. "Alright." She clapped her hands together before she eats. "Itadakimasu."

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**That's a wrap for Chapter 4. :) Originally I was planning to write something else in this chapter, but I think I'll write about that briefly in Chapter 5. The next chapter of this fanfic might take a while to be uploaded, cuz I need to plan on writing- as you may have guessed- about their next trip to the Phoenix Palace. Also, I would be busy with my studies in the next few weeks, this would also cause the delay of the next update to the story. But I'll find time to type and edit the draft then upload it for everyone to read. :D**


	5. Moving on

**Hello again, everyone :) I decided to write this quick and upload it. My final papers are over. (I can relax a bit before I go for my attachment starting on next Monday D: I'll be busy for the next few weeks) This is a short chapter about Byakuya's and Rukia's time in the Gaton Den. I'd like to apologise in advance if the readers are expecting this chapter to be about Byaruki's trip to the Phoenix Palace. The next chapter will be **The Phoenix Palace**, I swear. **

**Special thanks to **nhokjoon, Pamila De Castro, Guest **and **Russia09 **for reviewing chapter 4 and the readers who followed and faved this story. **

**Bleach belongs Tite Kubo while I own the story plot. Bleach characters may tend to get a little OOC. Please forgive me if I had made any grammatical mistakes and I hope you would enjoy reading chapter 5 of **Snow and Sakura** :D**

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"The food was absolutely amazing!" Rukia said, giving her compliments to the chef- who, in this case, was Hikifune Kirio, one of the zero guard officers. Rukia and Byakuya were preparing to depart, somewhere close to where they had landed hours ago, and the zero squad Shinigami was sending them off. She carried an odd object though- a giant teaspoon- which raised another suspicion to Byakuya, causing one of his eyebrows to twitch.

Hikifune-dono smiled warmly, and modestly replied, "Thank you, Rukia-chan! I'm glad that you and Byakuya-san had your fill and ready to go to the next palace."

Byakuya and Rukia both had a great time in the Gaton Den, the two chatted as they ate the buffet- Rukia wasn't sure whether it was night or day, the sky didn't change colour the entire time they spent in Hikifune-dono's palace. Rukia had never eaten so much food in her life that was enough to feed the hungry children back in Rukongai, the 78th district. Byakuya, on the other hand, was silently appreciating his food and spending time with Rukia. It made him feel almost if they were back at his mansion, talking normally and enjoying each other's presence. There were plenty of unfamiliar food he was rather not familiar with, he did not touch them until Rukia realized it, and told him what they were.

"These are food from the real world, Nii-sama." She explained to him excitedly. Byakuya noted the spark in her eyes when she told him more about Ginsei, Rukia was knowledgeable when it comes to that, having made several trips there either on a mission or during her free days without being burdened by the duties of being a Shinigami. 'When was the last time she'd been there?' He wondered, while listening to her. Right, she hasn't been there after Kurosaki Ichigo brought Kugo Ginjo's body back for a proper burial. She was held back by the increased responsibilities as a 13th division Lieutenant. She takes her new role seriously, training new recruits, handling more paperwork- even taking half of Captain Ukitake's share. Sometimes Byakuya catches her working late at night, in the manor or in her office, Byakuya would persuade her to come home and rest. If she fell asleep (in the 13th division barracks), he'll carry her home and tuck her in bed. This new trait of hers made him worry for her health, although it made him proud to see her working so diligently, Captain Ukitake complimented her each time he came to visit him secretly to learn about her progress.

'When this ruckus is over,' He promised. 'I'll personally take Rukia to Ginsei for a holiday, _without _that Lieutenant of mine or that brat accompanying.'

Rukia received a shock when Hikifune-dono emerged again from the kitchen with the cake she promised to bake for them. She almost can't recognize her. Her plump figure had changed, causing her body to slim and showing her feminine curves. She almost refused dessert, the last course of the meal, because she was greatly concerned about her depleted reiatsu.

"No worries!" The purple-haired Shinigami told her honestly, she crushed Rukia into a hug, suffocating her with her breasts. "I usually use up my reiatsu when I'm done cooking, and my body tends to change in size as a side effect." She explained cheerfully. "It's harmless, really. This is only temporary. I feel as fine as I was before when I was a plump woman. Oh, Byakuya-san! May I ask why you're staring at me like that?"

Byakuya had been observing her for a while, he got distracted and was greatly concerned about Rukia's welfare when he sees her struggle against Hikifune-dono's grasp. He relaxed when she released Rukia, and shifted a little closer to her as she attempted to catch her breath. Rukia didn't notice; Byakuya flickered his gaze to the officer when his sister resumed back to her normal breathing patterns.

"Is something the matter?" Hikifune-dono asked. Nii-sama's stare never left Hikifune-dono for a moment, Rukia noticed, and he seemed to be demanding something from her.

"You put something into our food, didn't you?" He asked, almost accusingly. Hikifune-dono laughed a little before she replied.

"So you've noticed. That's very perceptive of you, Byakuya-san, as expected from a Captain, no less."

"Huh?" Rukia was confused. What did Hikifune-dono put in their food?

"Can you feel it, Rukia?" She blinked, now looking at Nii-sama who was now speaking to her. What did he want her to understand? Rukia didn't feel anything different about herself, and neither does-

'Wait a minute.' Rukia widened her eyes. There _is_ something different about Nii-sama… It's-

"Your reiatsu." Hikifune-dono said, Byakuya and Rukia turned to her for an explanation. "As the both of you have noticed by now, your reiatsus are brimming at a higher level than ever before. I added it into your food, and by eating it, the additional reiatsu fused with your current and diminished ones and amplifies it." Hikifune-dono smiled pleasantly. "Now that the both of you can feel it yourselves, my work here is done."

She raised the giant teaspoon she has been carrying behind her back. Byakuya widened his eyes, having finally realized what she've been planning to use it as. He took another step closer to Rukia and held her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist firmly.

"It's time to send you two to the next palace."

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**Keep a look out for the next chapter **The Phoenix Palace**, and please R&R. Thank you, ciao! :D**


	6. The Phoenix Palace part 1

**Hi, everyone :D I'm back after seven weeks of AFK-ing. First I apologise to the readers for the delay of **Snow and Sakura**. I have to admit that I have been procrastinating with the story, I was wondering on how to write/continue with it while I was busy with my real-life obligations. So I have prepared an even longer chapter than the previous (I hope) ones, and as promised, this is about Rukia's and Byakuya's time in the Phoenix Palace.**

**I would like to say a big thank you to the readers who've reviewed, followed and faved this story, and those who have been patiently waiting for the next update. Thank you for your encouragements and reviews :D **

**Disclaimer: Bleach © Tite Kubo. Story plot belongs to me. Bleach characters will tend to get OOC, and please forgive me for any grammatical and/or vocabulary mistakes. And I hope you would enjoy chapter 6 of **Snow and Sakura** :)**

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Byakuya's back connected with the hard surface of the landing platform with a hard thump. This time there was no cushioning of their fall, their third host was not as considerate or thoughtful as Hikifune-dono was. He suppressed a groan, closing his eyes, keeping his facial expression impassive (as always) despite the excruciating pain he felt. He stilled himself, waiting for the throbbing pain to subside. Rukia, who was lying atop of him, securely wrapped with his arms, began to move.

She opened her eyes until they're half-lidded, peeking around her surroundings, then opened them fully. She pushed herself up, swaying slightly. "Ugh…" she groaned, she covered her mouth as she gagged. Rukia had never once complained- she detested the method the Zero Guard officers used to transport her and Nii-sama from one palace to another. She highly doubted they used that to transport themselves if they were summoned to the Soul King's palace, or to visit each other. It was hard not to think that they were doing this simply for their amusement.

"Rukia?" She heard Nii-sama calling her name, she looked around. 'It sounded as if it was coming from…' She looked down, and gasped loudly.

"Nii-sama!" She cried, her cheeks red in embarrassment. She had been lying on top of him all this time. Then, her violet eyes could not get impossibly bigger when she caught herself in a compromising position- straddling his hips, his arms around her waist slid down to the top of her hips. Nii-sama neither opened his eyes nor made any movement, simply resting his back against the hard wooden platform, seemingly asleep. She yelped, the semi-tight grip around her waist loosened, Rukia wasted no time in disengaging herself from his hold. She backed away hastily, until her back hit a wall.

"Rukia?" Byakuya shifted his face to her, even though he wasn't looking. She didn't answer, instead tried to breathe evenly as she calmed her rapid heartbeat. "Rukia?"

"Hai, Nii-sama." She answered him after a minute, feeling ashamed for pushing him away like that, when all he has been doing is trying to protect her. She hurried to him and helped him up. Nii-sama leaned onto her heavily, his breaths coming in short pants as he steadied himself. 'Boy, he's heavy…'

Suddenly there was sound of something being switched on, and a blinding light dazzling her. 'What the-?' Rukia thought, she shut her eyes tightly, turning her head towards Byakuya's chest. 'What's going on?' Byakuya lifted a hand up to shield himself.

"Welcome! Welcome!" Rukia winced as an overly-enthusiastic voice was turned on full blast from the speakers that was hidden somewhere around them.

A smoke bomb was thrown a few metres away from them, causing Rukia to jump. The smoke gradually cleared, a shinigami appeared with a similar hairstyle like Kirinji-dono, wearing a pair of spectacles, a head speaker and a white modified haori under his shihakusho. The Kuchiki siblings stared wordlessly at him. Rukia studied his pose- his knees bent, his arms stretched out, he pointed his index fingers upwards as his face was facing the sky- she thought that he reminded her of Don Kanonji, the human/TV celebrity who possess a bit of spirit energy and sees spirits from time to time.

"Welcome to my Phoenix Palace, honoured guests!" The shinigami yelled (as if he wasn't heard loudly enough). He put out a thumb and pointed it to himself. "I am Oetsu Nimaiya, the greatest zanpakuto forger in Soul Society history!"

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"Ladies, wait! Don't go!" Nimaiya-dono sobbed while he nursed a red, stinging slap on his left cheek. The voluptuous, beautiful women stuck up their noses and ignored him, leaving the room with the huff. Byakuya shut his eyes, his facial expression remained impassive. Rukia felt awkward after what had transpired….

_Ten minutes ago_

"Make yourself at home, Byakuya-san and Rukia-chan!" Nimaiya-dono ushered them into a mansion. Rukia looked up to read the sign hung above the entrance Galaxy Pheonix Palace. As they entered, a group of women in white shinigami clothing came over to greet them.

"Welcome!" They chorused.

"Kyaa-! It's Kuchiki Byakuya!" Rukia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, she should have known her Nii-sama would have fangirls in the Soul Palace.

"He's so handsome!"

"Rukia-chan looks so cute! I wanna eat her!"

Rukia blushed, not just because of the comment but there were so many people. After living in the Kuchiki mansion for over 150 years, she still hasn't gotten used to meeting strangers. She preferred being together with people she was familiar with, like Renji, or Ichigo, and Nii-sama...

The women approached, forming a circle around them, leaving them no way to escape. Nimaiya-dono stepped aside to a refreshment table to grab a drink, because yelling at the top of his voice earlier was making him thirsty.

Soon Byakuya and Rukia was separated, Rukia, somehow, managed to find her out of the crowd. A few women followed her, surrounding her while she stood in the middle, and began touching and patting her.

"Ooh! I love your haircut!"

"Look at her eyes, violet... or is it sapphire? They're like jewels!"

"Ooh! You're so tiny!" Hearing this comment, Rukia couldn't help but bristle. She had an issue with people comparing her height and size with theirs. Ask Ichigo or Renji, she'd beat them up whenever they called her, "Midget."

There was a commotion over where her brother is. "Hey, wait! Don't go!"

Rukia and the women surrounding her turned to look. They saw Byakuya parting the women who were admiring him away with his infamous death glare, and a flare of reiatsu as well. The women who were standing around Rukia backed away as well. One of them didn't looked where she was going. She bumped into Nimaiya-dono, and he spilled his drink on her.

The woman gasped, the other women were shocked as well, then they turned angry.

"Apologise to her right now!" One of them shouted.

"Yeah! Apologise!"

"It's wasn't my fault! She's the one who-" Nimaiya-dono didn't get to finish his sentence when the women slapped him for ruining her white kimono.

_Present time_

The three of them made their way to real Phoenix Palace, escorted by Nimaiya-dono's assistant whom he called, "Mera-chan." She was leading the way, laughing at his dumb and foolish luck of offending one of the women.

Rukia looked at Nii-sama thoughtfully.

"Nii-sama?" She whispered.

"What is it, Rukia?" He replied in his usual baritone. Rukia flushed slightly, wishing he could keep his voice low so neither Nimaiya-dono and his assistant can hear him.

"You don't have to do that." She was referring incident earlier when he intimidated the women and forced them to back away from her. Maybe that whole accident with Nimaiya-dono wouldn't have occurred.

Byakuya shook his head. "Nonsense. Those women were hounding you, and naturally, I have to put a stop to that.

Rukia was about to say something when Mera-chan interrupted, "We're here."

The Shinigamis arrived at a run-down shack at the edge of the cliff, made out of wood and straw. The surroundings weren't much to look at, there wasn't anything except for the barren ground and bare, dried-out trees. Rukia read the ink-black characters written on the sign hung above the entrance. It read Phoenix Palace.

"The previous palace you've seen is a faux." Mera-chan explained to the Kuchiki siblings, seeing Rukia had a confused look on her face. "This is the real Pheonix Palace. He built the other better-looking one so he can live there instead of this shabby old shack."

"Mera-chan, stop! You're revealing too much info!" Nimaiya-dono whined. She ignored him, and turned to the guests and gestured them to step forward.

"You'll find your zanpakutos in there." Rukia eagerly nodded. She can't wait to have Sode no Shirayuki back again.

Nimaiya-dono held Byakuya back from going. He glared at him, and the zero guard officer explained.

"Hold on, hot shot. There's something I want to tell you about your zanpakuto." He told Byakuya solemnly.

Rukia continued with him by his side. After taking a few steps past the entrance, she fell.

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**There you have it. ;P i decided to change the scene a little when the Kuchikis are in the Galaxy Phoenix Palace. I figured the girls who act something like when they saw the Kuchikis. While I was writing this scene I went back to read **Bleach chapter 522** to imagine what the Kuchikis would be doing. I totally disagree that they should be doing the 'sick pose' Nimaiya-dono made Renji and Ichigo do, (I don't think they should do that, it'll be so wrong) so I skipped that and wrote something different entirely from that. I tried to maintain some of Nimaiya-dono's character while he was interacting with the Kuchikis, Byakuya and Rukia are nobles after all, so I also tried to keep him discreet and formal as well while he was talking to them. **

**There's a wrap for now. I'll post the next chapter soon. Please review, let me know what you think of this chapter and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. *bows* Thank you!**


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